In 2015, the United Nations set 17 Sustainable Development Goals that aim to eradicate poverty, protect the world and ensure that all people live in peace and prosperity. In order to achieve these goals, it is essential that individuals, companies, non-governmental organizations, higher education institutions, governments and international actors contribute to the process and develop cooperation.
Bahçeşehir University (BAU) strategically manages sustainability and social impact issues in line with the goal of “contributing to society and achieving excellence”, which is stated in its vision as both an educational institution and a good corporate citizen.
BAU aims to contribute to society in the production of information and technology in the fields of engineering, architecture, social sciences, health and art. In this direction, the social contribution policy of our University;
• To contribute to society at local, regional, national and international level with its outputs by developing cooperation with its stakeholders in education and research activities,
• To educate students as individuals who can think holistically, have a global perspective, respect cultural and ecological values, and are sensitive to the environment through experiential learning,
• To create economic, social and environmental contribution process that increases its multi- disciplinary programs, creates innovation through national and international collaborations, attaches importance to the fact that graduates are business creators with the potential to change and transform their professional choices in a way that contributes to development, and to ensure continuity by implementing the process.
BAU coordinates its work on sustainability through different commissions and units. Social Impact and Responsibility Commission under the jurisdiction of the BAU Rectorate aims to develop sustainability and social responsibility strategies, coordinate and evaluate their implementations within and outside of the University. In addition to the representatives from all relevant academic and administrative units of the University, 4 student representatives are included as commission members. By embedding the concepts of volunteerism, social entrepreneurship, social innovation, social responsibility and sustainability in the scientific culture of the university, it works to support students to become active change ambassadors who produce innovative solutions to the world's urgent and most important problems.
The Commission holds regular meetings and determines the basic approach regarding the courses, training and certificate programs that should be offered in all faculties and academic units of BAU within the framework of sustainability and sustainable development goals. There is also an external stakeholder advisory board which was established to address the issue of sustainability from a broader perspective.
In this sense, BAU is committed to implementing the practices mentioned below:
In line with this whole framework and vision, BAU has adopted an education system that covers SGDs throughout the university, covering theoretical and practical courses in accordance with international standards at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
In order to create awareness about SDGs among its students, to motivate them to develop a sustainability mindset and adopt sustainable behaviors, BAU integrates SDG related courses into its curriculum. The courses serve BAU’s sustainable campus and university culture approach by consistently keeping the sustainability agenda at the forefront of students’ life at the campus and beyond. Also, SDG-related courses aim to motivate students to be individually mindful of the greater good for people and planet as well as to find new ways of contributing collaboratively to the UN SDGs through group projects and student initiatives.
*The relevant policy was drawn up in the Academic Year of 2021-2022.
TR
